Quality Score
A Google Ads diagnostic metric (1-10) evaluating keyword relevance and landing page quality.
A Google Ads diagnostic metric (1-10) evaluating keyword relevance and landing page quality.
Why It Matters
Quality Score directly affects your ad costs and positions. Higher QS means lower cost-per-click and better ad placement. A 10/10 keyword might cost half as much as a 5/10 keyword for the same position. Improving Quality Score is one of the highest-leverage Google Ads optimizations.
Practical Example
Scenario
A brand has average Quality Score of 5 on their top keywords. They improve ad relevance and landing page experience, raising average QS to 8.
Calculation
CPC drops from $2.40 to $1.60 (33% reduction) while maintaining position. Same traffic, 33% lower spend.Result
At $50K/month Search spend, they save $16.5K/month while getting the same results. Annual savings: $198K.
Pro Tips
- 1Quality Score has three components: Expected CTR, Ad Relevance, Landing Page Experience—diagnose which is dragging you down
- 2Improve ad relevance by including keywords in headlines and ensuring ad copy matches search intent
- 3Landing page experience requires fast load times, mobile optimization, and content that matches ad promises
- 4Create tight ad groups with highly related keywords—broader groups dilute relevance
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Frequently asked questions
Put it to work
Related Terms
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